The 7 Sins Through Business Films

wrath

Like all mob flicks, Scarface manages to offer life lessons through the lens of organized crime. If businessmen have a tendency to suffer from excessive pride, then mobsters seem to suffer from their own wrath, which oftentimes leads to their implosion. Whether the character is Joe Pesci in Goodfellas or Al Pacino in Scarface , these films help young professionals understand the repercussions of their actions, especially when emotions take over rationality.

Hollywood has more than glamorized the brutal reality of mob life, but the fact remains that every single time that a mafioso takes someone's life, he kills a part of himself. Pacino's character's downfall comes as a result of his own persona, as he takes on an entire battalion in a Rambo -esque fashion, only to be killed in the destruction that ensues.

sloth

Glengarry Glen Ross has grown to become part of the salesman's folklore. The story offers two lessons for salespeople. While on the one hand, a client list and/or leads are worth their weight in gold, such a list is meaningless if one does not close the deal.

While the story blurs the line of salesmanship and ethics, one of the opening scenes remains firmly planted in viewers' minds: Alec Baldwin walking around with his brass balls, challenging the sales force to overcome sloth and meet sales targets.

gluttony

Like Wall Street , Barbarians at the Gate offers a glimpse into the greed that can engulf capitalism in the quest for profit. But this flick is about more than that: The attempt by tobacco manufacturer RJR to shift away from tobacco — and its inherent risks — in the tale of the largest takeover in Wall Street history. The gluttony in this case thus does not come in the form of cookies and crackers, but rather in gobbling up other firms in corporate takeovers, especially of the hostile variety.

This reenactment of the takeover offers many standout tales, but when F. Ross Johnson — head of RJR — lights up a smokeless cigarette and realizes that both the smell and taste are, shall we say, less than desirable, you can almost feel his pain.

lust

The final sin is lust, serving as the premise for the Demi Moore office thriller, Disclosure . Michael Douglas loses all leverage and maneuvering room by giving in to what is perhaps the greatest Achilles' heel facing young professionals: lust. By giving into temptation, Douglas' character pits himself in a corner as Moore takes over the boardroom.

The instant that Douglas gives in to Moore's temptation at the office, you know that he has transferred all leverage to Moore.

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As these examples demonstrate, no one is safe from giving into the seven deadly sins — particularly those who are in positions of power or aspire to be. But by understanding what makes mankind fall prey to their own belief of invincibility, you can stake your claim to greatness by knowing when to draw the line and walk away from vices.